Well-drilling apparatus.



C. W. THORNILEY.

WELL DRILLING APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED 1120.11, 1912'. 1,092,309. Patented 11pm, 1914 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

/NI/ENTOR C. W. THORNILEY.

WELL DRILLING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED 1326.11, 1912.

1.909%309, Patented Apr. 7, 1914L 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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c. W. THORNILEY.

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1,092,309. y APPLICATION FILED DBU.11, 19,12. 3 S BTS-SHEET 3.

MEN fU/ff//f/ CLARENCE W. THOR-NILEY, OF ELECTRA, TEXAS.

WELL-DRILLING APPARATUS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

Application filed December 11, 1912. Serial No. 736,156.

. To all 'whom t may concern f Be it known that I, CLARuNon WV. rlllrionni-l LEY, citizen of the United States, residingv at Electra, in the county of lVichita and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tell-Drilling Apparatus, lof which the following is a specification. Y f

, My invention relates to well-drilling inachinery, and has for its object the simplification of apparatus for the stated purpose so that the parts may be more compactlyy arranged than heretofore and the operating mechanism more easily set up in position where a well is t'o be drilled.

The invention seeks to provide a welldrilling apparatus in which the several lines will be under the complete control of the:

operator and will be arranged in such comn pact form that they may be inclosed so'that'` injury to the operator will not be apt toj nected thereto in any convenient manner so occur.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and consists in certain` novel features which will be hereinafter first, fully described and then more particularly` pointed out in the appended claims.

1n the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved well-drilling ap 1 paratus showing the same arrangedv'fork spudding; Fig. 2 is a side elevation show ing the same arranged for drilling; Fig. 3l

is a plan view; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the gearing.

The mud sills 1 consist of heavy beams disposed in parallel relation adjacent the location of the well as usual, and my i1n-` proved machinery is to be mounted upon a frame 2 which is adapted to be slid endwise over the sills and consists of lower beams or sills 3, posts 4 erected on said sills, upper beams 5 secured upon said posts, and cross bars connecting the several sills or beams. The upper beams 5 are of different lengths, as shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 3, thereby providing space at the front end of the frame to accommodate the bull wheel and the casing line wheel, the bull wheel.

being extended laterally beyond the main fram'e and supported by' a standard or ypost 6 secured to and rising from a beam or sill 7 adapted to rest upon the mud 4sills parallel with the side of the main frame and connected therewith by a beam 8 extending over the lower sills 3 of the main frame and held thereto by clips or brackets' 9. 'Upon the longitudinal faces of the lower sills 3, I secure laterally projecting plates or ribs 10 which' are adapted to slide under keepers or overhanging brackets 11 on the mud sills and thereby hold the frame in position upon the sills and prevent it rising. The standard 6 and the supplemental frame will be connected with the main frame by suitable braces as may/be necessary.

rllhe samson post 12 is secured upon the cross bar at the front extremity of the frame and is braced by a bar`13 secured thereto near its upper'end and extending downwardly and rearwardly therefrom to the upper side beam 5 of the frame to which it is secured. rilhe Samson post is inclined slightly rearwardly from the front end of the frame so that the frame may be used in connection with the ordinary derrick, and, when so used, may have its front end placed between the posts of the derrick and conas to bring the bull wheel and the other operating' mechanism close to the derrick and thereby relieve the strain vupon the different lines 'and permit the several operations to be eii'iciently performed with shorter lines than has heretofore been possible. The walking beam 14 is fulcrumed upon the up- -pei' end of the Samson post in the usual manner, and a connecting rod 15 is pivoted at its upper end to the rear end of the walking beam and is adapted to have its lower end pivoted to the crank 16 on the end of the main shaft 17. The main driving shaft 17 is rotated through suitable connections with any convenient form of engine or motor, and upon the said shaft, between the sides of the supporting frame, lis fixed a large driving wheel 18 which also serves as a fly-wheel. At one side of this drive wheel 18 is provided a beveled pinion or friction ywheel 19 which is in engagement with a bevel pinion 20 carried by the rear end of a shaft 21 which is journaled in a short standard or other support 22 on the frame, and in a bracket 23 secured upon the side beam of the frame. A beveled pinion 24 is splined yuponthe shaft 21 and is adapted to be moved axially thereon by a fork 25 formed on the end of a lever 26 which is fulcrumed upon the main frame adjacent the said pinion, as shown and as will be readily understood. This pinion 24 is so disposed as to mesh with a beveled wheel 27 on one end of the bull wheel 28 which carries the drill line,

so that, by shifting the pinion into mesh with the beveled spur wheel 27, the bull wheel may be rotated to wind the drill line thereon when it is desired to remove the tools from the well. The drill line Vwill be engaged by the walkingl beam in the usual manner so as to be actuated thereby when drilling and the drill line 29 will be kept in the proper taut condition upon the bull wheel by a brake band 30 secured at one end to the main frame and passing over the end of the bull wheel, as clearly shown. The free end of this brake band is constructed with a hook 31 which is engaged by a pin 32 on the end of a brake lever 33 which is fulcrunied in the main frame, so that, by swinging the lever downwardly and forwardly, the brake band will be drawn closely around the edge of the end member of the bull wheel and thereby prevent rotation of the same.

In starting the well, the connecting bar 15 is disengaged from the crank 16 and a link or connecting rod 34 is engaged 0n the said crank, the rear end of said link or connecting rod being pivoted to the lower end of a spudding lever' 35 which is pivote'd between its ends at the rear end of the mainy frame. To the upper end of this spudding lever is se'cured a jerk line 36, the front end of which -is loosely -engaged around the drill line, as clearly shown. The rotation of the driving shaft. will then oscillate the spudding lever and, through the jerk line, will actuate the drill line, so as to alternately raise and lower the same in the usual manner.

The casing line 37 is wound upon a casingv wheel 38 which is suitably mounted upon the lower sills or beams ofthe main frame immediately adjacent the front end thereof and hasI its shaft extended laterally beyond one side of the frame and equippedwith a grooved pulleyl 39, as shown. A vcable or chain, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, is trained around the pulley 39 and a double pulley or idler 39 mounted on the frame or cable is trained around the idler and a pulley 40 on' the driving shaft, so that the casi-ng wheel may be rotated when necessary,

the speedof rotation being' controlled by a brake band 41 pass-ing around one end of the wheel and operated by means' of a brake lever 42 which is fulcrumed upon the front end of the frame, as shown in Fig. 1.

Upon the upper portion of the main j frame, at the rear end thereof, is journaled a sha-ft 43 upon which is a fric'tio'nwheel 44 constituting one end of the sand line wheel and adapted to be moved intoV operative engalgement with the driving wheel 18 by a lever 45 which is fulcrumed upon` the main frame at the rear end thereof below the shaft 434 and'v carriesone end of saidshaft.` They lever is controlled by a rod 46 and the speed of the said friction wheel 44 may be controlled by a brake shoe 47 secured upon the frame in rear of said wheel, the manipulation of the rod 46 causing the wheel to bear upon the brake shoe or against the driving wheel, as will be readily understood.

At the front end of the mainframe, 1 secure, preferably by a hinge 49, which may be `on either the front or the rear side of the cross bar, the mast 50 which extends upwardly and outwardly from the frame and which, when the apparatus is in use, will be braced by suitable guy-wires 51. At the upper end of the mast 50 is fitted a large pulley 52 over which the drill line 29 runs, l

and below the said pulley are similar pulleys 53 over which the casing line 37 and the sand line 54, respectively, run. 1t will be readily noted that the mast may be swung backwardly over the vframe so that the apparatus may be readily moved from place to place and, when in use, the mast will transmit pressure downwardly tothe main frame so as to hold the same in its position.

At the rear end of the frame is provided an eye or bracket 55 to which may be attached any convenient form of anchoring device 56. l

. In starting the operation of the apparatus, the spudding lever 35 is connected to the main driving shaft and the drill line, as shown in Fig. 1- and indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the main drive shaft then rota-ted,n as will be readily understood. lVhen the drilling has progressed to a depth of one hundred or one hundred and twenty-five (100 or 125) feet the'spudding lever is disconnected and the walking beam is then connected up to theumain drive shaft-,Vas indicated by dotte'd lines in Fig. 1 and by full 'lines in Fig'.- 2.- The drilling then proceeds in the usual manner, the pinion 24 being thro-wn out of mesh with the spur wheel 27 so that the shaft 21 will run free and the descent of the tools being regulated by the l pressure exerted through the brake band 30. below the driving shaft and a second chain As the drilling proceeds and it is necessary yto lower the c'asing into the well, the casing line wheel is' permitted to rotate by releasing the pressure exerted thereon by the bra-ke band 41 so that the said line may descend into the well. Should it be necessary to withdraw the casing or the drilling operationy should be completed so that the tools should be withdrawn, the pinion 24 is thrown into mesh with the wheel 27 and the casing line wheel is permitted to rotate under the iniuence of the pulleys 39 and 40 and the` Y chain or cable trained around the same, it

being understoodthat any convenient device may be provided to' hold the chain or cable loose upon the pulleys when the casing' is beinglowered but to tighten the same i on the pulleys when the casingis to be raised. When it is desired to operate the sand line or bailer, the lever 45 is vibrated so as to throw the friction wheel 44 into direct contact with the drive wheel 18 so that the sand wheel will be rotated.

It. will be readily seen from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, that I have provided a well drilling mechanism in which the operating parts are very compactly arranged so that they may be inclosed by a suitable casing, if necessary, and the operator thereby protected against injury. When it is desired to move the machinery from one point to another point, the supplemental frame consisting of the standards 6, the sill 7, and the beam 8 may be shifted laterally from its engagement with the main frame and the main frame then merely slid out of engagement with the keepers on the mud sills so that the machinery then may be readily moved through narrow openings or over narrow paths without difculty or inconvenience.

It will be understood, of course, that either friction or toothed gearing may be used as preferred. In supplying the machine to purchasers, I contemplate supplying the wheels 19 and 20 in both forms and the wheel 19 may have its operating periphery partly smooth and partly toot-hed to be engaged by toothed or smooth pinions interchangeably fitted on the shaft 21.

What I claim is 1. In a well drilling apparatus, the combination of a main frame comprising lower sills, posts rising therefrom and beams secured upon said posts, the beam at one side terminating short of the front ends of the sills, a bull wheel mounted upon the frame in advance of said shorter beam, a supplemental frame slidable laterally into and out of engagement with the main frame and supporting one end of said bull wheel, and means for operating the bull wheel.

2. In a well drilling apparatus, the lcombination of a main frame, a supplemental frame disposed laterally of the main frame and having a member extending transversely through the main frame, a clip on the main frame fitting over said member, a bull wheel supported by said supplemental frame and the main frame, and means on the main frame for operating the bull wheel.

3. In a well-drilling apparatus, the combination of a frame, a casing wheel mounted on the base of the frame at the front end of the same, a bull wheel mounted on the frame adjacent the casing wheel and above and in rear of the same, a driving wheel mounted on the top of the frame in rear of the bull wheel, gearing at opposite sides of the frame connecting the driving wheel with the bull wheel and the casing wheel respectively, and a sand wheel mounted on the frame in rear of the driving wheel and adapted to directly engage the same.

4. In a well drilling apparat-us, the combination of a supporting frame, a driving shaft thereon, a beveled wheel rigid with said shaft, a bull wheel mounted upon the frame in advance of the driving shaft, a beveled wheel rigid with one end of the bull wheel, an obliquely disposed transmission shaft mounted upon the side of the supporting frame, a pinion at the rear end of said shaft engaging the beveled wheel on the driving shaft, a beveled pinion splined upon said shaft and adapted to mesh with the bevel wheel on the bull wheel, and means for shifting said pinion axially along the transmission shaft.

The combination of a frame, a driving shaft mounted transversely thereon, a bevel wheel rigid with said shaft, a bull wheel mounted upon the frame in advance of said shaft, a transmission shaft mounted obliquely upon the main frame between the bull wheel and the driving shaft, a bevel pinion on the rear end of said shaft meshing with the bevel wheel on the driving shaft, a bracket secured upon and rising from the main frame and supporting the front end of the transmission shaft, a bevel wheel rigid with one end of the bull wheel, a bevel pinion slidably mounted on the transmission shaft and adapted to engage said bevel wheel, a standard secured upon the side of the main frame adjacent said bracket, and a horizontally disposed forked lever mounted in the upper end of said standard and having its inner end engaging said bevel pinion.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE W. THORNILEY.

Witnesses R. I-I. TowLER, G. C. WOODRUFF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

